Eric Chelle has used Nigeria’s October friendly against Russia to open the door to a new generation of Super Eagles hopefuls, naming a 24-man squad featuring a striking mix of established internationals and players yet to make their senior debuts.
While Wilfred Ndidi, Stanley Nwabali, Moses Simon, Raphael Onyedika, Bright Osayi-Samuel and Benjamin Fredricks provide experience, much of the attention will fall on the less familiar names when Nigeria face Russia at the Nizhny Novgorod Stadium on October 6.
The squad includes goalkeeper Michael Atata of Ikorodu City and Finland-based Samuel James, while defenders Kenneth Igboke, Isaac James, Victory Akpe and Abdullahi Bewene are also included.
The midfield is even more experimental, with Chibuzo Nwoko, Stephen Michael, Igor Wilfred, Ridwan Abdulrasaq, Suleiman Mubarak and Aderemi Adeoye all receiving opportunities.
Peter Edokpolor, Abubakar Umar and Abdullahi Umar complete a forward group that also contains a familiar face in Kelechi Iheanacho.
Chelle feels the Russia fixture offers something different from the competitive assignments that surround it.
readmore: Chelle names Osimhen, Ndidi, Lookman, in 24-man squad for AFCON qualifiers
Nigeria’s immediate priority is the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, with Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau to be faced on September 25 and September 29 respectively. The Russia match comes a week later, creating room for the coach to look beyond the players expected to carry the competitive burden.
Iheanacho gets another opportunity
Among the more established players in the squad, Iheanacho’s inclusion stands out. the forward has been in strong form since moving to Bursaspor, scoring regularly at the beginning of his first season in Turkey’s second tier.
His recall gives Chelle another opportunity to assess a player he already knows from his previous time with the national team.
It also comes at an interesting point in Nigeria’s attacking picture where Osimhen, Lookman, Simon and several other established forwards will handle the AFCON qualifiers, while Iheanacho now gets a separate opportunity to make his case in the Russia fixture.
The friendly therefore provides Chelle with a useful second look at the depth of his attacking options without placing the same competitive demands on the selection.
readmore: ‘They underrated us’ – Aduku reveals why Falconets shocked England at U-20 WWC
The selection also fits into a broader plan around the national teams. Chelle is responsible for both the Super Eagles and Nigeria’s U-23 setup, with preparations already beginning for the next Olympic cycle and the qualification route towards the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
The coach had previously indicated plans to use the Russia fixture as an opportunity to assess younger players, including overseas-based prospects, while continuing to monitor talent from the domestic league. That thinking is reflected in the latest squad.
Isaac James, who is also included in the AFCON qualifying group, gets another opportunity to work within the senior setup, while the Russia list introduces a much larger collection of players who are still trying to establish themselves at international level.
The mixture is deliberate enough to make the October fixture about more than the result.
Nigeria and Russia have already met once during Chelle’s tenure, playing out a 1-1 draw at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow in June 2025. This time, however, the circumstances are different.
The Super Eagles will arrive after their opening AFCON qualifying assignments, while Chelle will have an opportunity to measure a wider pool of players against an international opponent.
CLICK HERE TO JOIN ATHLETIC NG WHATSAPP CHANNEL NOW!
24 Super Eagles for international friendly against Russia
Goalkeepers: Michael Atata (Ikorodu City, Nigeria); Samuel James (SJK, Finland); Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa).
Defenders: Kenneth Igboke (Rangers, Nigeria); Isaac James (Alverca, Portugal); Benjamin Fredricks (Brentford, England); Emmanuel Fernandez (Rangers, Scotland); Victory Akpe (Basel, Switzerland); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham, England); Abdullahi Bewene (Banik Ostrava, Czechia).
Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas, Turkey); Raphael Onyedika (Eintracht Frankfurt, Germany); Chibuzo Nwoko (Fulham, England); Stephen Michael (Vendsyssel, Denmark); Igor Wilfred (Kristiansund, Norway); Ridwan Abdulrasaq (Al Wasl, UAE); Suleiman Mubarak (Slavia Prague, Czechia); Aderemi Adeoye (Ikorodu City, Nigeria).
Forwards: Kelechi Iheanacho (Bursaspor, Turkey); Moses Simon (Paris FC, France); Akor Adams (Venezia, Italy); Peter Edokpolor (Benfica, Portugal); Abubakar Umar (Famalicao, Portugal); Abdullahi Umar (Hradec Kralove, Czechia).
